Veterans of Faith

“The force is strong in my family. My father has it, I have it….” Luke Skywalker”. As this Memorial Day weekend started, I thought about the sacrifices of our fallen hero’s of our Armed Forces. I thought about family traditions, and how they play a part in influencing young men and women to enlist into the military. I have enlisted many young people who told me about their parents, grandparents and great-grandparents who served this country proudly and how that tradition is one of their reasons for enlisting. Our two sons Jake and Nick have followed the footsteps of their grandfathers, uncles and I who served proudly in the Armed Forces.

As I thought about these things my thoughts turned to the many records of faithful followers of God in the Bible. They humbly obeyed God’s calling which paved the way for our spiritual freedom. One story that we may overlook is the story of Timothy.Paul encourages Timothy to remain a faithful servant.

“I have been reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also” (2 Timothy 1:5) NIV.

Paul attributes Timothy’s faith to the legacy of his mother Eunice and his grandmother Lois. Both were early Christian believers. Paul shows us that it is because of their influence in Timothy’s life that the faith lived in him, making Timothy who he was.

We also influence people’s lives around us. Sometimes we may not see the result of our influence and other times it is as clear as it was in Timothy’s life. We influence people by the way we live each and every day. We influence the people that are closest to us the most- our family and closest friends. We can be like Timothy’s grandmother Lois, in whom Paul says that “sincere faith, which lived in” her. If the faith “lives” inside of us, we will want to share it with others. As we share it with others we become influencers in their lives and can help pave the way for them to become spiritually free. We can become veterans of the faith.